Friends and family are mourning a “boisterous” and “bright” kindergarten student as police continue to search for what caused her death after a post-mortem examination Tuesday.

The child, who police have not officially named, was identified Tuesday by neighbours as Evangeline Adotey. The 6-year-old had three siblings.

She was found in “obvious distress” at the Howard Johnson Inn & Suites on Metropolitan Rd., near Warden Ave. and Hwy. 401 Monday evening, police said. She was rushed to hospital, where she was pronounced dead. A man and another child were also taken to hospital.

Earlier in the day, around 4 p.m., police responded to the child’s family home in Scarborough, just over a kilometre away.

Police said Tuesday an autopsy was “inconclusive” and more tests were needed.

“It means that the examination could not determine a cause of death at this time,” said Const. Wendy Drummond. She said typically the next step is a toxicology test.

No charges have been laid and police have released few details as an investigation continues.

The death has been distressing to those who knew the young family.

“It was kinda shocking,” said one neighbour, who asked not to be identified. She said the girls’ parents, Jason and Cheryl Adotey, lived at the home with their four children, including Evangeline’s older brother and infant twins.

Property records show the couple purchased the Cass Ave. townhome in 2009. A police cruiser remained on the street Tuesday evening. A man and woman who did not speak with the Star left with overnight bags.

The neighbour called the Adoteys a “happy, hunky-dory family.”

She said Evangeline was friends with her daughter, also 6, and the two had been in the same class at Lynngate Junior Public School down the road, before Evangeline transferred to Beverly Glen Public School, near Finch and Warden Aves.

Evangeline and her brother would often play together with the woman’s children in the quiet, sprawling complex. Evangeline was there for birthday parties and is seen in a photo from last summer wearing a tiara and pink princess outfit. The neighbour said it’s been difficult to explain to her daughter that her friend is gone.

There was no commotion Monday night that neighbours heard.

Rudy Gafur, who used to be on the complex’s property’s management board, said he’s known the family for four years. His grandson used to play with Evangeline and the children’s pet turtle.

“She would always come close, hug me, sit next to me,” Gafur said of Evangeline. “They’re very quiet and very loving children. If I talk too much about this, I’ll cry. It’s too hard.”

Two years ago, Gafur said Jason Adotey, who he described as “very quiet,” stayed with him for three nights.

“He (Jason) said Cheryl put him out and took away all the credit cards,” Gafur said. “Well, I didn’t ask beyond that . . . I am old enough to know that you don’t come between families.”

The couple came from Ottawa, once lived in Australia, both have master’s degrees and once had government jobs, Gafur said.

After the twins were born, Cheryl became a stay-at-home home mom, Gafur said. He hasn’t spoken to the couple much lately and said he didn’t detect any issues.

Even neighbours who didn’t know them well described the Adoteys as a nice family with well-behaved kids who often played in the shared courtyard.

“I’m very, very shocked,” said Norm Wasserman, who has lived in the complex for more than six years. “We have no problems here whatsoever.”

Wasserman said he had seen the family frequently and knew them just to say hello. He said he had seen police cars at the home before, about three weeks prior to Monday’s incident.

A letter was sent home Tuesday from Beverly Glen informing parents that a student had died.

“It is with great sadness that we inform you that the incident resulted in the death of one of our students,” wrote Principal Morag Killackey in a letter about the incident. “Today has been a sombre day for all of us at our school as we mourn this tragic loss of a young life.”

Officers remained stationed at the hotel where paramedics had rushed Evangeline and the two others to hospital.

A receptionist said roughly 80 people were currently staying at the two-storey hotel Monday night, where some guests stay one night at a time and others have resided for months.